Release Detail

April 8, 1998 - Mayor Giuliani Is Poster Boy For Politeness,
New York City Voters Tell Quinnipiac College Poll;
Back Speeding Crackdown 13-1, But Nix Jaywalk Effort

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is a good role model for a more civil New York City, voters
say 56 - 38 percent in a Quinnipiac College Poll released today. They approve 65 - 30
percent of the job Giuliani is doing as Mayor, a drop from his record high 74 - 23 percent
approval in a February 11 poll by the independent Quinnipiac College, but still above the 60
percent mark which has become normal for the Mayor.

By a 72 - 26 percent margin, voters are satisfied with the quality of life in the City, and
58 percent say the quality of life has gotten better in the last few years.

After City Hall, New York City voters prefer to see Giuliani run for the Senate:
22 percent say there is a good chance, and 27 percent say there is some chance they would
vote for Giuliani if he ran for President in 2000, while 45 percent say there is no chance;
37 percent say there is a good chance and 25 percent say there is some chance they would
vote for Giuliani if he ran for the Senate in 2000, while 34 percent say there is no chance;
16 percent say they would be more likely to vote Republican if Giuliani were the GOP
Vice Presidential candidate in 2000, while 25 percent say they are less likely and 54
percent say it makes no difference;
Voters reject 61 - 35 percent the idea of amending the City Charter so the Mayor can seek
a third term.

"You've read all those stories about our in-your-face Mayor. But most New Yorkers
don't see him that way. They think Mayor Giuliani is a good role model for good manners,"
said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac College Polling Institute.

"It's Emily Post, not Marquis of Queensbury, at City Hall these days."

"New Yorkers like the way their mayor does his job, but they're not sure what he
should do next. They might support him for U.S. Senator in 2000, but they don't think of
him as President or Vice President," Carroll said. "And they're not willing to change the
City Charter to give him another four years."

By a 92 - 7 percent margin, New Yorkers say the crackdown on speeding drivers is a
good idea, and 44 percent of drivers (24 percent of the total sample) say they've slowed down.

New Yorkers reject the jaywalking crackdown 54 - 40 percent, but 35 percent say they
are walking more carefully because of it.

Dr. Ruth, Jackie Mason, Joe Torre and the other celebrities who do those taxi seat belt
announcements are a good idea, New Yorkers say 86 - 10 percent, but only 47 percent say
they've actually heard the warning in a taxi.

"New Yorkers give the jaywalking crackdown a thumbs-down, but one in three are
walking more carefully because of it, so the Mayor can say he's making the city safer still,"
Carroll said.

"The crackdown on speeding wins huge support and it works. Half of those who drive
in the city say they're driving more carefully."

In an open-ended question allowing for any answer, New Yorkers were asked to
identify the one quality of life issue -- besides serious crime -- on which police should
concentrate. The largest single group -- 21 percent -- gave answers such as community
relations, minority relations, respect for civilians and police brutality. Another 18 percent
listed drugs and 10 percent listed other crimes, while 9 percent said speeding, traffic or taxis.

"Frankly, we expected answers such as littering or graffiti or panhandling when we
asked this question, not police-community relations," Carroll said.

From April 1 - 6, Quinnipiac College surveyed 922 New York City residents who say
they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent. The Quinnipiac
College Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, conducts public opinion surveys in New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research.
For additional data visit: www.quinnipiac.edu

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Rudolph Giuliani is handling his
job as Mayor?

Feb 11
Tot Wht Blk His 1998

Approve 65% 79% 47% 62% 74%

Disapprove 30 18 49 33 23

DK/NA 4 3 5 5 4

1a. Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat?

Feb 11
Tot Wht Blk His 1998

Approve strongly 36% 51% 15% 26% 42%

Approve smwht 30 28 32 37 32

Disapprove smwht 13 7 19 16 11

Disapprove strongly 17 10 29 17 12

DK/NA 4 3 5 5 4

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Alan Hevesi is doing his job as
City Controller?

Tot Wht Blk His

Approve 53% 58% 50% 51%

Disapprove 10 7 16 12

DK/NA 36 35 34 38

3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mark Green is doing his job as
Public Advocate?

Tot Wht Blk His

Approve 64% 65% 67% 61%

Disapprove 9 8 9 12

DK/NA 27 27 24 27

4. If Rudolph Giuliani runs for President in the year 2000, how much chance is
there that you would vote for him? Is there a good chance, some chance, or no
chance?

Tot Wht Blk His

Good chance 22% 29% 10% 25%

Some chance 27 33 19 28

No chance 45 31 67 42

DK/NA 6 7 4 5

5. If Rudolph Giuliani runs for United States Senator in the year 2000, how
much chance is there that you would vote for him? Is there a good chance, some
chance, or no chance?

Tot Wht Blk His

Good chance 37% 49% 18% 34%

Some chance 25 25 24 30

No chance 34 23 53 36

DK/NA 3 3 5 1

6. If Rudolph Giuliani were the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate in the
year 2000, would that make you more likely to vote for the Republican ticket,
less likely, or wouldn't it make a difference?

Tot Wht Blk His

More likely 16% 22% 9% 11%

Less likely 25 17 39 18

No difference 54 57 46 66

DK/NA 5 4 6 5

7. Under the current city charter the mayor and all other city officials are
limited to serving 2 terms. Do you think the city charter should be amended so
that a mayor can serve more than 2 terms or not?

Tot Wht Blk His

Yes 35% 37% 31% 42%

No 61 60 65 52

DK/NA 4 4 4 6

8. Do you think the city charter should be amended so that all city officials
can serve more than 2 terms or not?

Tot Wht Blk His

Yes 29% 27% 30% 35%

No 67 69 66 57

DK/NA 4 4 4 8

9. How satisfied are you with the quality of life in New York City today? Very
satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Tot Wht Blk His

Very satisfied 21% 27% 14% 18%

Somewhat satisfied 51 53 45 61

Somewhat
dissatisfied 19 15 29 11

Very dissatisfied 7 4 11 9

DK/NA 1 1 1 1

10. Compared to a few years ago, do you think the quality of life in New York
City has gotten better, gotten worse, or stayed about the same?

Tot Wht Blk His

Gotten Better 58% 68% 44% 58%

Gotten Worse 15 9 23 21

Stayed Same 24 20 31 21

DK/NA 2 2 2 1

11. Looking ahead a few years, do you think the quality of life in New York
City will get better, get worse, or stay about the same?

Tot Wht Blk His

Get better 40% 36% 42% 49%

Get worse 19 15 22 18

Stay Same 33 38 28 26

DK/NA 8 10 8 6

12. Besides serious crime, what is the one quality of life issue that you
would like to see the New York City police concentrate on?

Tot Wht Blk His

Other crimes/Safety 10% 10% 11% 11%

Drugs 18 16 17 30

Subway/Transit
system 1 2 1 2

Youth/Youth
programs/Gangs 4 3 7 7

Schools/School
safety 3 3 3 7

Homeless/Poor 4 5 3 1

Noise/Car alarms 4 6 2 2

Littering/Graffiti 3 5 1 1

Traffic regulations/
Taxi drivers/Speeding 9 12 5 5

Police brutality 5 4 7 7

Community relations/
Respect to citizens 13 8 20 14

Race/Minority
relations 3 1 6 2

Nothing 2 2 1 2

Other 5 6 5 2

DK/NA 15 18 11 8

13. New York City is cracking down on jaywalking. Do you think this is a good
idea or a bad idea?

Tot Wht Blk His

Good idea 40% 39% 41% 44%

Bad idea 54 54 56 49

DK/NA 6 6 3 7

14. Has the city's crackdown on jaywalking made you more careful when you
walk in the city or not?

Tot Wht Blk His

Yes 35% 29% 40% 49%

No 60 66 55 45

DK/NA 5 5 5 6

15. The city is also cracking down on drivers who speed. Do you think this is a
good idea or a bad idea?

Tot Wht Blk His

Good idea 92% 92% 91% 93%

Bad idea 7 7 8 6

DK/NA 1 1 1 1

16. Do you currently drive a car in New York City or not?

Tot Wht Blk His

Yes 55% 59% 47% 52%

No 45 41 53 47

DK/NA - - - 1

17.(If drive a car in city) Has the city's crackdown on speeding made you drive
more slowly or not?

Drive a car in city
Tot Wht Blk His

Yes 44% 40% 41% 64%

No 52 57 53 31

DK/NA 4 3 7 5

18. When passengers enter New York City taxicabs they hear a recording urging
them to buckle their seat belts. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

Tot Wht Blk His

Good idea 86% 80% 89% 96%

Bad idea 10 15 7 3

DK/NA 4 5 4 1

19. Have you been in a New York City taxicab where you heard this recording?

Tot Wht Blk His

Yes 47% 54% 38% 42%

No 53 46 62 56

DK/NA - - - 1

20. (If heard the recording) Did you buckle your seat belt?

Heard the recording
Tot Wht Blk His

Yes 39% 29% 52% 59%

No 60 70 48 39

DK/NA 1 1 - 2

21. (If buckled seat belt) Did the recording persuade you to buckle your seat
belt or would you have done it anyway?

Buckled seat belt
Tot Wht Blk His

Yes/it persuaded me 43% 47% 34% 49%

No/I would have done
it anyway 56 51 66 51

DK/NA 1 2 - -

22. Do you think Mayor Giuliani is a good role model for a more civil New York
City or not?